Golf-club.



A. E. LARD. I GOLF CLUB.

Patentd Mar. 5, 1917.

TED STATES A E QFFECE/i ALLAN E. LARD, WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF .COLUMBIA, ASSIGYNOIRI TO THE METALLIC SHAFT COMPANY, OF WILMINGTON, DELAWARE, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

pertains moreparticularly to the manner or mode of securing the handle upon the shaft. Golf clubs, it is well understood'by those skilled in their manufacture and use, must have the Weight fall within certain limita-' tions and it must be properly distributed;

and further, that there shall be no move-- ment between the component elements of the club. Correct distribution of the whip and torsion are also important, and the intro- 'duction and use of metallic shafts having these essentials, along with the limitation in weight, have rendered special formations of the handle or grip portions desirable, as well as s ecial means for securing both the hand e and head to the shaft.

The use of metallic shafts presents certain problems in securing the shaft to the handle and to the club head, which are not present when a wooden shaft is employed, and the present invention has to do with the overcoming of these. difficulties; in so far, as securing the handle is concerned.

The invention is illustrated in the annexed drawings, wherein:

.Figure l is a sectional elevation of a portion of a metallic golf shaft and the metallic handle section;

Fig. 2 a fragmentary perspective view of the handle;

Fig. 3 a like view of the upper end of the shaft;

Fig. 4: a cross-section on the line '44 of Fig. 1

- away, of the bushing or thimble employed ,between the handle and shaft? i ,Fig. 6 a sectional elevation offa modified I arrangement;

ririg employed in such form;

ig. 8 a sectional elevation of a still further modification;

r Fig. 9 is a perspective view of a modified I Specification of Letters Pate Fig. 5 a perspective view, partly broken- Fig. 7' a perspective view of the bracing- GOLF-CLUB.

arrangement, the parts being disassembled and partly broken away Fig. 10 a sectional elevation of the construction shown in Fig. 9, with the parts assembled; and

Fi v11 a sectional elevation of another modification. 7

nt. Patented Mar. 6, 191?. Application filed May 12, 1916. Serial No. 97,158. i L

The shaft is denoted by 1 throughout the several views, and may be said to comprise a hollow tubular. member having longitugdinally-extending ribs 2 and slots or openihgs 3 formed in the walls of the body at intervals therein, all of which is clearly set forth and claimed in Letters Patent No. 1,125,029, issued to me under date of January 12, 1915, to which reference is made. Such a construction at' once afi'ords the necessary strength and permits the shaft to torsion under impact.

Referring first to Figs. 1 to 5 inclusive, the grip section ofthe club, hereinafter termed the handle or handle section to more clearly distinguish it from the grip material, substance or surface which is placed 7 over the handle, comprises a tubular.metallic member drawn to form and having a cylindrical section 4, a tapering section or neck 5, and a reduced section-( 5, .which is fluted, as at 7, the flutings or grooves formed thereby being of such size and dimensions'as to make a close fit with the ribs 2 when the handle is driven or forced to place over the end of the shaft. The upper end of the shaft projects into the tapered .portion 5, and atapered bushing or thimble 8 is forced down between the. shaft end and the tapered portion, whereby the parts are mutually sustained and any abrupt lines which would,

tend to initiate fracture are done away with;

Section 4 will be provided withv slots 9, preferably having a staggered relation-,whrch slots have the effect of lightenihgthe handle and also producing the slight .torsion and l flexibility necessary therein. Said slots will also facilitate the securing of the grip surface or finish (indicated at 10) on the han- -dle. The parts may be pinned together or secured in any other suitable manner, as by shrinking, sweatin or spot welding.

A handle this ormed and secured to a metallic shaft tends to throw the major whip and torsioning action of the club under im-- pact lower down in the shaft than is the case where the shaft proper extends the full 1 v leiigth of the club. The construction is also cheaper, in that the shaft proper (which is p more expensive to produce than the handle) may be'materially shorter than where it extends the full length of the club; :These benefits and advantages are also present in "the modified forms now to be described.

' I In Fig. 6 the handle is substantiallythe 1 of the shaft, interlocking with the ribs thereon: and, bearing directly against the inner wall of the handle. .This washer may be formed of aluminum, or other suitable light into the washer.

I material, and may be pinned in place, or secured to the handle by a screw or screws passing through the wall of the handle and Said washer steadies the upper end of the shaft within the handle and prevents any relative movement of the handle and shaft. It also provides a very strong construction whenthe shaft is braced by .the full diameter of the handle.

so forated, and slightly tapered for about three-.

In Fig. 8 the upper end 12 of the shaft is made cylindrical and is preferably perfourthsof an inch, whi e the upper ends of the ribs 2 are tapered or beveled as at 13. The lower section 14 of the handle inthis instance is cylindrical and at its lower end I is provided with a series of- V-shaped fin- .gers 15 which, Whenthe handle isdriven down over the cylindrical end 12 of the shaft,

pass between the ribs,'as shown. A washer 16, made of aluminum or any other suitable material, and having a round opening centrally therein, will be forced downwardly into the upper end of the handle,'until it abuts the upper portion of the tapered section 5 of the handle. One or-more grooves 17 may then be rolled into the-handle, one of which'will enter a corresponding groove in the washer 16 and hold the same in position, or a single groove 18 may be rolled above the washer and thus hold the same indicated in the drawings, or it may be held by the crimp alone.

against shifting. It is, of course, evident that in addition to this manner of fastening,

the washer may be pinned to position, as

The handle is now drivenvover the end of the shaft, the tapered ,tip making a driving fit with the hole in the washer.

1 In Figs. 9 and 10 the lower end of the handle, designated by 19, is cylindrical in form and is adapted to be forced downwardly over the upper end of the cylindrical or substantially cylindrical portion 20 of the shaft, the ribs of which are beveled as inthe construction last referred to. A sleeve 21, provided with V-shaped fingers 22, at

its lower end, makes a tight fit with the Fig. 6.

lower end 19 of the handle, and when the parts are brought to the positions shown in Fig. 10 said sleeveis driven downwardly so that the fingers lie between the ribs 2. The parts are then permanently secured together in any desired manner, as by pinning, welding, or the like.

In Fig. 11 the upper end of the shaft is of the same form as that disclosed in Fig. 9, and thehandle has a reduced neck section 23, from which'extends a skirt com posed of a flaring section 24 adapted to overhe the beveled ends of the ribs, and a cylin-,

drical section 25 which overlies the ribs immediately adjacent their beveled ends.

It will, of course, be understood that the lines of jointure between the handle and the shaft may be wrapped to produce a finish,

as is commonly done when aflixing the grlp surface to the ordinary wooden shaft, but this is not essential, as the metal is relatively thin and the edges could be dressed off if desired. When enameled, the lines are scarcely perceptible.

The slots or openings in the handle, as

i in the shaft, maybe of the same or different sizes and shapes, and placed in any relation one to the other that may seem desirable.

- I may, if it is desirable to do so, omit the slots or openings in the handle, as in Having thus described my invention, what I claim is: 1. In a golf shaft the combination of a hollow metallic shaft provided with ribs and susceptiblev of torsion under impact; and a hollow metallic handle having a reduced lower portion adapted to coact with the ribs to assist in securing the parts together.

2. In a golf shaft the combination of a hollow metallic shaft provided with ribs and susceptible of torsion under impact; a hollow metallic handle having a'reduced lower end; and means carried by said end adapted tocoact with the'ribs to prevent relative rotatory movement ofthe parts.

3. In a golf club, the combination of hollow metallic shaft provided with ribs and susceptible of torsion under impact; and a hollow metallic handle having a reduced lower portion, said portion being fluted and adapted to embrace the ribs on the shaft. v 4. In a golf club, the combination of a hollow metallic shaft a metallic handle having an inwardly-tapering portion adjacent its lower end adapted to pass over the upper end of the shaft; and a bushing or thimble filling the space between said shaft and said tapering portion. l

5. In a golf club, the combination of a hollow metallic shaft; a metallic handle having an inwardly tapering portion adjacent its lower end adapted to pass over the upper end of the shaft; a bushing or thimble fill- 13o ing the space between said reduced portion and shaft; and a washer encircling the upper end of the shaft and bearing against the inner wall of the handle.

6. In a golf club, the combination of a slotted metallic shaft provided with a ribbed exterior; a hollow metallic handle comprising a slotted cylindrical section, an intermediate inwardly tapering section, and a lower reduced fluted portion, said flutings engaging the ribs on the shaft; and a tapering bushing filling the space between the shaft and the taper.

7. In a golf club the combination of a metallic shaft provided with a ribbed exterior and with openings in the body thereof to permit torsion of the shaft under impact, and a hollow perforated metallic handle secured upon the upper end of the shaft, the lower end of said handle overlying the ribs and provided with means to prevent relative rotatory motion between said handle and the shaft, such construction serving to stiffen said upper end of the shaft and the adjacent portion of the handle.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

. ALLAN E. LARD. 

